Update: City council revives animal ordinance without chickens

The Chattanooga City Council passed the first reading of an animal control ordinance by a 5-3 vote.

Earlier today city council members revived a city animal ordinance that lays out new rules for pet breeders, dealers and performers within the city limits with one notable exception - chickens.

Last week, council members voted down the ordinance, 6-3, that would have allowed chickens within the city limits.

Today in the city council's agenda meeting, the ordinance was again brought up for a first reading with one big change - the city would double a restaurant's yearly permit fee to allow pets on decks and patios.

City Councilman Chris Anderson questioned why McKamey Animal Center recommended the fee be increased to restaurants from $50 to $100. If the city keeps the $100 fee in the ordinance, Anderson, who first introduced the urban chicken law, said he plans to vote the ordinance down.

"I don't think we should take the unprecedented action of a vendor that we contract with setting our fees that we charge taxpayers," he said this afternoon.